Mesa County Oral History Project

The Mesa County Oral History Project began as a joint project of the Museums of Western Colorado and Mesa County Libraries (MCL) in 1975. The Oral History Project collected tape-recorded interviews with pioneers of Mesa County and surrounding areas, and interviews with the children of pioneers. The Central Library housed the duplicate audio cassettes and provided patron access to the histories. The Museum stored the master tapes and kept files and transcripts related to the oral history collection. The Mesa County Historical Society also contributed significantly to the Oral History Project by collaborating with the library and museum to select interviewees, and by providing interviewers and other volunteers. Mesa County Libraries no longer partner with the Museum in housing duplicate copies of tapes. But the library now works with the Museum to digitize interviews from the Mesa County Oral History Project and to provide online access to the interviews through Pika, the library catalog. The Museum continues to house the original audio cassettes, interview transcripts, and other source material for the project. The Library and the Museums of Western Colorado still record oral histories with residents who have important knowledge of the area’s history. Please note that some interviews contain language that listeners or readers may consider offensive. Mesa County Libraries does not condone such language, but has included interviews in their entirety in the interest of preserving history.

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Interview with Rudolph W. Seibert
Rudolph Seibert talks about basic training and life in the U.S. Army during World War I. He also touches on resistance to U.S. involvement in the war from within the Army’s ranks, and on his training and work as an auto mechanic. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Interview with Russell Charles Johnson
Russell Johnson, a native of Grand Junction, Colorado, talks about his early life in town. He speaks about his long career working for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad as a carman. He recalls the Grand Junction depot fire that was caused when munitions, headed for use in World War II, exploded on the tracks. He discusses his father’s career on the railroad, working on narrow gauge trains and helping to build the Colorado Midland Railway. He remember life in the roundhouse and different narrow gauge, steam, and diesel trains in Colorado and Utah. He talks about practical jokes workers played on one another, songs they sang, and the Switchmen’s Union labor dispute (probably in 1950). The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Russell and Lillian (Drew) Paige
Dr. Russell Paige and Lillian (Drew) Paige discuss the history of veterinary medicine in the Grand Valley, including the role of Lillian’s father Alston P. Drew as one of the first veterinarians on the Western Slope. The Paiges also discuss their various hobbies and their community involvement. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Ruth (Key) Hoffman
Ruth Hoffman talks about her teen and young adult years spent packing fruit for Cross Orchards and other farms in Mesa County, Colorado. She describes the work involved in fruit packing, lighting smudge pots, picking fruit, the change in the kinds of jobs women did on the farm over time, and life on the farm. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of the Mesa County Public Library and the Museum of Western Colorado.
Interview with Ruth (McQueen) Smith and Isabella M. Cunningham
Ruth Smith and Isabella Cunningham, former reporters for The Daily Sentinel, recall their careers at the newspaper during the 1920’s through 1940’s. Cunningham talks about covering railroad news and events, including the institution of a sixteen-hour-day law for workers. They remember two young children that were killed when playing with dynamite in Fruitvale. They describe the annual Christmas party for needy children that was put on each year by the Soup Eaters at the Avalon Theater during the Depression. They speak about former society editor Merle McClintock. They recall several local establishments. They remember journalist Norlin “Boots” Norgaard, who went on to work for the Denver Post. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado. *Photograph of Isabella Cunningham from the 1923 Grand Junction High School yearbook.
Interview with Ruth Bereman (Zingg) Tilton
Ruth Tilton talks about her involvement in Tri-M, the Girl Scouts, a bridge club, and other clubs and societies upon moving to Palisade, Colorado. She speaks about skiing on the Grand Mesa with her husband Forrest Tilton in the 1930’s, and about skiing near Leadville. She discusses the history of the Palisade Public Library from its humble beginnings inside of a downtown store, and her involvement in recording and preserving Palisade’s local history. She talks about helping to form the Palisade chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood in 1928. She describes river rafting through the Grand Canyon and many other places. She speaks about meeting Pearl Baker, an author who wrote about the outlaw Butch Cassidy. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Ruth Larson
Early Grand Junction resident Ruth Larson describes her life as a teacher and principal in Mesa County schools. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Interview with Ruth Lewellyn (Penniston) Smith and Agnes (Peugh) Wright
Ruth Smith talks about her pioneering family in Whitewater, Colorado, and about frontier days in Mesa County. Agnes Wright talks about homemaking and other aspects of pioneer life and area history. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries, the Museums of Western Colorado and the Mesa County Historical Society.
Interview with Ruth Lillian (Johnson) Echternach
Ruth Echternach talks about her arrival in Palisade, Colorado in 1917 and her graduation from the Palisade School. She discusses the history of early Palisade and its people. She speaks about her marriage to local farmer Marion Echternach, life on a fruit farm, and raising children. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Ruth Mary (Kilby) Goss
Ruth Goss talks about her early days in Fruita and Loma, Colorado, and about life on a farm. She remembers teaching at the Valley View School and Loma School for several years. She speaks about her husband’s job as a ditch rider on the Grand Valley Canal and the Independent Ranchman’s Ditch. She talks about dances that took place at the Loma Community Hall. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Ruth Sadie (Kerstetter Learned) Morris
Ruth Morris talks about her life growing up on a ranch in the Kannah Creek area of Mesa County, Colorado in the 1910’s and 1920’s. She speaks about her grandfather and parents, who came to Grand Junction in the 1890’s, about her grandfather’s saloon, her father’s job as a cook at the Pasttime Café, and the band her parents formed (they were both musicians). She recalls her marriage to Lawrence Learned and their ranch in Kannah Creek. She remembers their careers as the post master of Whitewater (both of them served) and other aspects of the mail service in the area. The interview was conducted by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.
Interview with Sara Kruh
Sara Kruh talks about growing up near Collbran and in Grand Junction, Colorado, and about her schooling. She also discusses teaching in the Molina School on the Grand Mesa and her teaching career, her role in the origins of the Mesa County Teachers Federal Credit Union, and high button shoes. This recording is made available via signed release by the Mesa County Oral History Project, a collaboration of Mesa County Libraries and the Museums of Western Colorado.

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